


Children of the Moon

by Corvina_of_Olympus



Series: We are all made of Stardust [3]
Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime), His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Character Study, Gen, Hinted Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-28
Updated: 2016-01-28
Packaged: 2018-05-16 22:17:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5843092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corvina_of_Olympus/pseuds/Corvina_of_Olympus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An exploration of the disfavoured princess Lemrina Vers Envers and her dæmon Nadeyako.</p><p>(Aldnoah.Zero dæmon AU)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Children of the Moon

**Author's Note:**

> This one was interesting to write. I didn't like Lemrina when I first watched the series; but the more I think about it, the more I appreciate her. I really liked writing something about her childhood and background, so I hope you find this part interesting, too. :)

Lemrina Vers Envers.  
_The useless one. The disgrace. The bastard child._

This was what Lemrina and Nadeyako heard for most of their life from the people who actually knew they existed. They spent all their childhood envying Asseylum and Celeph, who were loved by the people, able to walk around freely and not bound to a wheelchair and, most importantly, loved by their grandfather. While Asseylum grew up safely in the cradle of Vers, Lemrina had to be kept hidden in the palace so that no word of her existence reached the outside. She sometimes suspected that the only reason she was allowed to live for were her Aldnoah activation privileges. 

She and Nadeyako had to rely on themselves for the biggest part of their childhood. Her body was still weak as a child, and Nadeyako had to change into a tiger or a bear or another large animal to help her moving her wheelchair because nobody bothered to check up on them. They had a wing of the palace to themselves, but they weren’t allowed to reveal themselves to anyone without the permission of the emperor.

Lemrina had stopped calling him her grandfather some time ago, when he refused to let her meet her half-sister.  
She might have envied her, but the loneliness was stronger than everything else.

The only company she had were the few guards and servants that knew about her existence, her appointed supervisor Count Saazbaum and, of course, her dæmon Nadeyako.  
The guards didn’t care about her, the servants never spoke a word and Count Saazbaum seemed distant and bitter. Nadeyako stayed the only one she could rely on. 

It was the day two weeks after their fourteenth birthday when Count Saazbaum enters their chambers with a crooked expression of condolence and tells them that their mother -a lowly servant woman they never were allowed to meet- had passed away. Lemrina feels strangely numb when she hears this information.  
“Are we allowed to attend her funeral?” she asks in a voice void of any emotion; only Nadeyako ruffling the feathers of her current swan form betrays her distress.  
“No. She has been cremated two days ago. His Highness wanted you to be informed at least” Saazbaum answers and Lemrina thinks that she actually heard a slight hint of pity in the Count’s voice.  
“Then leave”, she commands and with a deep bow, Saazbaum and his dæmon retreat from her room. 

It’s silent for a few moments and Lemrina stares emptily at the wall until Nadeyako’s unsure and quiet voice reaches her.  
“Lemrina, look…”

She turns around and sees her dæmon at the floor where he seems to be inspecting himself. He is a gorgeous white swan with a black beak and shining feathers.

“Yako… You’ve settled!”

Nadeyako nods, but he seems self-conscious while doing so. Then Lemrina notices why: the swan’s right wing seems incomplete; most of the long, white feathers used for flying are bent or missing completely. 

“I’m sorry…” Nadeyako says.

“Don’t be. You’re still beautiful” Lemrina objects, but she does so mainly to reassure herself. Her dæmon is crippled. Now what does that say about her? 

She still has to wait two more years for the man who makes her feel worthy.

**Author's Note:**

> Lemrina's dæmon is a tundra swan ( _Cygnus columbianus_ ). Swans are beautiful and a symbol for royalty, but also very territorial. I made Nadeyako's wing damaged not because of Lemrina's disability, but because of the damage that neglection, loneliness and self-worth problems dealt to her soul.


End file.
